


Green: Family

by JackShirogane



Series: Voltron: Colors [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Baby Keith (Voltron), Birth, Family, Gen, Half-Siblings, Keith & Shiro (Voltron) are Siblings, Kids, Pregnancy, Shiro (Voltron)-centric, Siblings, Sleepovers, broganes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-06-09 13:52:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15268863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JackShirogane/pseuds/JackShirogane
Summary: Takashi Shirogane realizes his dream, and learns the meaning of family.





	Green: Family

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of the Voltron: Colors series, a series in which each color will have a corresponding piece. Enjoy!

Takashi Shirogane didn’t know much, but he knew that his small family was everything to him. He’d never known anything else; he found himself crying for them when they were away. They didn’t have much, but he was happy. Though he’d lived alone with his father for years, when the strange woman came into his life, he’d gladly accepted her in. He didn’t know his mother had left after he was born. He thought he’d come from the new woman, and he was happy with that. Finally, his family was back together, and they were happy.  
His days were spent at school, where he loved nothing more than to learn. The world was huge, beautiful, and meant to be explored, but not by him. He learned quickly that his classmates were happy with the Earth they lived on. Takashi, however, wanted to explore the stars above. He wanted to take his family to space and live among the cosmos, and he’d do whatever it took to get them there. 

When he was four years old, he had an idea. He wanted to reach the stars, but they were so high. When he brushed his teeth, he’d thought, he climbed on the stool so he could reach the sink. He just had to climb. First he’d dragged the stool onto the lawn, and climbed up to the highest step. He reached up as high as he could, but he couldn’t reach the stars. Next, he dragged out everything he could find. He found a box, a chair, and his favorite toy car. He’d stacked them all, but still, he couldn’t reach. He needed to get higher, he’d thought. His mind roamed, unsure of where he’d go. Then, suddenly, he had the perfect solution. Within seconds he was at the base of the tree in their backyard, and he was climbing. It took a lot of his strength, but he made it to the lowest branch. It was about 10 feet off the ground. It was dark out, and the first stars had started to shine. He’d looked at them and smiled, before standing on the branch, leaning up on his toes, and reaching. Before he’d known it he was falling, and there was an unbearable pain in his arm. He'd broken it, and in that moment, he realized he couldn't reach the stars alone.

He spent the following months trying to figure out how he’d get to space. He’d exhausted every idea in his four year old brain. He’d drawn up giant birds to ride, buses that could fly, and stairs that extended to the sky. He’d nearly given up, until that fateful day.

“Have you all heard about what happened last night?” Takashi’s teacher had asked. The whole class shook their heads.”The Galaxy Garrison landed a probe on Kerberos!” She had said excitedly. “Does anyone know where Kerberos is?” The class was silent.

“It’s one of… Pluto’s moons!” Takashi blurted out. The teacher’s eyes had widened.

“That’s right, Takashi!” She smiled at him. “They hope to send humans within the next 20 years,” she said. “Does anyone know how humans get into space?” This time, even Takashi was silent. “They’d take a rocket!” She slid a picture under the projector. From that moment, Takashi’s dream was alive. He would take a rocket to space, and he’d bring his whole family with him. 

When he got home that night, he started planning. 

“Daddy, what’s the Galaxy Garrison?” he asked at dinner that night. 

His father had set down his fork. “It’s a school for astronauts,” he had said. “Why?”

Takashi looked up, eyes wide. “What’s an astronaut?”

His dad smiled down at him. “An astronaut is someone who goes into space,” he said, passing a quick glance to Krolia.

She’d looked back at him in approval, though Takashi didn’t see. “Do you want to be an astronaut, Takashi?”

He nodded. “I want to bring us to space,” he said timidly. “We can live on a star!”

Krolia laughed. “A star is too hot,” she said with a smile. “We’d all burn up! We could live on a planet instead.”

Takashi processed her words for a second, then nodded with a grin. “We’ll live on a planet!”

“You can go to school at the Galaxy Garrison,” his dad said. “But you’ll have to do really well in school!” 

Takashi nodded. “I’m gonna be an astronaut,” he said, as though he was reminding himself.

That night, he fell asleep on the couch, next to his parents. He only awoke to Krolia picking him up and bringing him to his bed. “Mommy,” he said sleepily. 

Krolia stopped. “Yes?” she said after a long pause. She set him down on his bed, and pulled a blanket over him.

“Do you think I can be an astronaut?” he asked quietly.

Krolia smiled softly at him, humming. “Yes, little one,” she said, sitting on the edge of the bed and placing a hand on Takashi’s shoulder gently. “I think you can be the best astronaut there is.”

“Will you come to space with me?”

Krolia’s smile disappeared. “Yes,” she said. “I will.” She looked down in distress. 

“We’ll all live together,” he said, falling asleep almost instantly.

Krolia had stood up quietly and left, but not before stroking her stepson’s forehead and kissing his cheek. 

-

By the time Takashi was five and a half, he was ready to go to the Galaxy Garrison. He’d asked everyone he could find how he could make it there, and they’d all said the same thing. He needed to do well in school, and know math and science. Though he wasn’t sure what science was, he was amazing at math. He knew all of his addition and subtraction tables, and his teacher even said he was ready for multiplication! He was certain he was ready for it. He knew he had to write them a letter, so they would know who he was and that they had to let them in. So, on the ride home, he thought of what he would say. However, when the bus dropped him off in front of the house, his father wasn’t outside to meet him like he always was. He turned around to the bus driver. “My daddy isn’t here,” he said.

She looked down at him sympathetically. “Why don’t you try opening the door? I’ll wait for you,” she said with a kind smile. 

Takashi nodded and got off of the bus, running up to the door. He reached up to the door and it opened, though his normally well-lit house was dim. He stepped inside nervously. “Hello?” he called down the hallway. 

“Takashi?” It was a woman’s voice, and it wasn’t his mom. 

“Who are you?” he asked, his voice cracking and his eyes filling with tears. Suddenly the lights were on, and he could see the woman. She approached him slowly, and crouched down to his level.

“My name is Colleen,” she said, smiling at him. “I’m sorry for scaring you. Your mommy and daddy can’t be here tonight,” she said. She paused, thinking for a second. “Something important is happening,” she said, not knowing if she was meant to tell the little boy. 

“Are they okay?” he asked, anxiety rising in his stomach.

“Oh, they’re fine,” she said quickly, regretting how she’d worded her sentence. “They have a surprise for you!”

“A surprise? What is it?” Takashi said, his eyes lighting up in delight.

“Well, if I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise!” she said warmly. “I made you dinner,” she said. “Chicken nuggets are your favorite, right?” 

Takashi nodded. He liked this woman, she was nice. She brought him to the table, and as he ate his chicken nuggets, she asked him all about school and his life. 

“What do you want to be when you grow up, Takashi?” she’d asked him.

“An astronaut!” he’d said excitedly. “I’m writing a letter to the Galaxy Garrison,” he said proudly.

Colleen couldn’t help but smile. “You’ll need to work hard to get there,” she said. “Do you know that?” 

Takashi nodded. “I’m great at math,” he said, biting into his last nugget. “I can do addition and subtraction,” he said, his mouth full. 

She leaned forward onto her elbows, towards him. “Oh really? That’s a great start,” she said.”I’m sure you can get there.” She was silent for a few seconds. “Are you all done?” she asked, gesturing to his empty plate. Takashi nodded at her. “We’re going to go to my house,” she said. “Do you want to bring anything? We’re going to stay over there all night.” Takashi shook his head, but then he ran off into his room, returning with a piece of paper, his crayons, and a small stuffed lion. “Do you need anything else?” Colleen asked. He shook his head. She handed him his coat and shoes, which he put on slowly.

They went out to her car, and she lifted Takashi into the booster seat, buckling his seatbelt. As she started to drive, she looked back at him in the rear view mirror. He was contently drawing on the piece of paper he’d brought. She smiled, and decided to stay silent for the ride.

When they arrived at the house, it was dark outside. The air was crisp with an October breeze. It was nearly November, but fall was still in full swing with no sign of getting colder. Colleen led Takashi into the house and hung up his coat, before she led him into the living room. There was a man there, and a boy about his age. 

“Hello, Takashi!” the man said cheerfully. “My name is Sam, and this is my son, Matt. He’s your age.” The little boy stared at Takashi, huddling close to his father. He recognized him from recess.

Takashi looked at the dirty blonde boy. He looked scared, and his mind drifted to what his dad had taught him. If someone is alone, try to be their friend. “Do you wanna draw with me?” He asked Matt. Matt nodded timidly and started walking down the hallway, stopping when Takashi didn’t follow him. 

“We can go to my room,” he said quietly. Takashi followed him. Matt’s room was covered in building blocks, and the walls were covered in posters of a building that Takashi had never seen, and people that he didn’t recognize. Matt pulled up a chair to his plastic table and pushed it towards Takashi, and took a seat on the floor. Takashi sat in the chair, and set his piece of paper down. Matt also took one from a drawer next to his bed, and set it on the table. 

“Do you know how to write?” Takashi asked Matt.

Matt shook his head. “I know the letters,” he said. “I know what sound they make.”

“Can you write for me? I don’t know how.” He pushed the paper to Matt. Matt looked at it in confusion, but took a pencil in his hand anyways. “I need you to write ‘my name is Takashi Shirogane.’”

Matt pushed the paper back at him. “I don’t know how to write,” he said. 

Takashi looked at the paper. He wrote his name on it. “I need to write a letter,” he said sadly. 

“We can ask my dad,” he said. Takashi nodded. “Dad!” Matt called out. Soon Sam Holt was in the room, crouched down at the small table. “Takashi wants to write a letter, but we don’t know how to write,” Matt said.

“Alright,” Sam said. “Who are you writing a letter to?” he asked Takashi curiously.

“The Galaxy Garrison!” he cheered.

Sam and Matt stared at Takashi with surprise for a few seconds, before Sam gave a wide smile. “What do you want to say? I’ll write it for you,” he said happily.

“Say this,” he said, taking a breath. “My name is Takashi Shirogane. I want to go to school with you. I know addition and subtraction. I don’t know what science is, but I want to learn,” he said, pausing. “I want to be the best astronaut ever, so my family can live in space on a planet.”

Sam smiled down at him. “Is that all?”

Takashi nodded. “Do you know who to give it to?”

Sam nodded. “It just so happens that I work at the Galaxy Garrison,” he said.

Takashi’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes,” Sam said. “But, you have to wait until you’re bigger.” 

Takashi was crushed. “How much bigger?” he asked quietly.

“You have to be fourteen. But, when you’re fourteen, I know you’ll get in.”

Takashi waited a few seconds, but nodded, determination showing in his eyes. “When i’m fourteen, I’m going to go to the Galaxy Garrison,” he said. “And I’ll be an astronaut.”

“You’d want to be a pilot,” Sam said. “The pilot is the one who flies the rocket!”

Shiro smiled. “I’m gonna be a pilot then,” he said, balling his hand into a fist.

Later that night, Matt had coerced Takashi to play with his building blocks. 

“You need a team,” he said, breaking the silence.

“A team?” Takashi asked him.

“When you go to space. I want to go to space too,” he said, not looking Takashi in the eyes. 

“You can be on my team,” Takashi said. “We can take your whole family.”

Matt looked up at Takashi, and smiled. “Really?”

He nodded. ”We can be a team.” He reached out for Matt and extended his hand, and Matt did the same. The two little boys shook hands.

They played until they fell asleep next to each other, and suddenly it was morning.

Takashi woke up in a makeshift bed next to Matt’s, who was already awake. The two wandered out to the kitchen, where they ate breakfast in pleasant silence. They played for a few hours more, when suddenly it was time for Takashi to go home. 

Soon he was back outside his house, and Colleen was leading him to the door. She knocked on the door gently, and it opened, revealing Takashi’s father. 

“Daddy,” he said softly, leaning into his father for a hug. 

“Hi, Takashi,” his father said, picking him up into a hug. “Thank you so much, Colleen,” he said, still holding his son up. He leaned in and gave her a one-armed hug.

“Call us anytime,” she said, hugging him back. “He was a sweetheart.”

Then Colleen, Sam and Matt were gone, and Takashi was home with his family once again. 

“We’re going to see mommy,” his dad had said, setting him down. “She’s very tired, so I need you to be quiet.” Takashi nodded.

He led his son into their bedroom, where Krolia was laying on the bed. Her face looked exhausted, but she looked overjoyed. She was holding something, though Takashi couldn’t see what it was.

“Hi, Takashi,” she said weakly. Her surrogate son said nothing; he just looked at her with concern. He was led over to her then, and lifted into the bed, where he was soon sitting between his parents. Krolia handed the bundle over to his dad, and he looked at Takashi emotionally.

“I want you to see something,” he said softly. “Takashi, this is your baby brother. His name is Keith,” he said. “He was just born yesterday.” He turned the blanket towards him, and finally, Takashi saw its contents. 

Sleeping comfortably inside the blanket was a tiny person. He had black hair just like he did. Suddenly Takashi found his eyes filling with tears, and he was reaching out slowly towards the blanket. 

“Do you want to hold him?” his father had asked. Takashi looked up at him and nodded. His father handed him his new brother carefully, and set him into his arms. Takashi looked down at Keith. He was sleeping peacefully. Takashi pulled his brother to him gently, embracing him. Keith turned into Takashi’s chest, sighing contently in his sleep.

Suddenly, Takashi didn’t care about being a pilot anymore. Though he was only five years old, he knew something then. Deep in his heart, he knew that no mattered what happened, he would do everything to protect the tiny boy in his arms. 

He didn’t want to be a pilot yet, he thought. He wanted Keith to grow up first. When they were old enough, he would take them all to space with him. Yes, that’s what he would do. Being a pilot would just have to wait.


End file.
